Sir Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet, has come out in support of controversial plans to take away the stroke unit at QEQM Hospital in Margate.

Yesterday, Kent's eight Clinical Commissioning Groups announced their plans to establish three new hyper-acute stroke units at the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and Maidstone Hospital.

Thanet's two Conservative MPs are at odds, as South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay has said he is 'not happy' with the decision.

But Sir Roger believes this was the right, but hard, choice to make.

Craig Mackinlay and Sir Roger Gale together after their 2017 election wins - but now they are divided on the stroke unit at QEQM

Sir Roger said: "I have discussed the location of services with those who are expert in the subject on a number of occasions - most recently a week ago - and I am satisfied that, given the planned safeguards, the decision taken and based upon three centres of excellence is the best practicable solution to provide the best patient survival and recovery rates - and that is what matters.

"Ordinarily a population of the size of Kent would be served by one or possibly two “hyper” centres but the geography of the county mitigates in favour of three in the selected locations.

"I know that people would like to have services on the doorstep but it is neither practicable nor possible to fund and staff everything everywhere.

'The distribution of health services should be made on the basis of sound medical judgement and not emotion or party-political interest'

"Notwithstanding the widely misinterpreted ‘FAST’ mantra, what matters is that following diagnosis a patient is taken to the best possibly facility swiftly.

"Following stabilisation and expert treatment it is then necessary - and this is the safeguard- to re-patriate the patient to a facility (the QEQM or The Queen Vic in Herne Bay in the case of North Thanet) where family and friends can support recovery.

"I understand that this will not be a popular decision but good medical practice is not about populist campaigning but about making the right and sometimes hard choices in the interests of saving lives.

Sir Roger Gale has held the North Thanet seat since 1983

"I believe that the distribution of all health services should be made on the basis of sound medical judgement and not upon emotion or party-political interest.

"In the case of stroke services, I am convinced that not only will more lives be saved but more and fuller recoveries will be made as a result of a decision that is not about ‘saving money’ - massive investment will be made in staff and equipment - but about delivering the best treatment in the best way for the maximum number of people.

"Time and experience will, I believe, justify this decision."

'It is a practical impossibility that travel to the William Harvey hospital can be achieved in an hour'

In contrast, Craig Mackinlay says he is not happy or convinced by the decision not to create a new hyper-acute stroke unit at QEQM - and has come out fighting against allegations he has not done enough to fight for the unit.

He said: "The option of Darent, Maidstone and Ashford as the sites of the three hyper-acute stroke units has long been trailed as the likely outcome, so I am not surprised by the announcement of the Kent and Medway NHS joint board.

"That does not mean that I am at all happy or convinced by the proposal.

Craig Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet

"I can appreciate that the concept of ‘everything, everywhere’ is no longer possible or desirable as medical care advances, but given the growing population of Kent, with more than 100,000 additional homes likely over the next decade under the current round of local plans being finalised by local authorities, the question of geographical spread of hyper-acute units becomes hugely relevant.

"We have long been told by government advertising as to the importance of the first hour and the FAST doctrine following a stroke. These proposals do not fit with this advice for Thanet residents.

"It is a practical impossibility that travel to the William Harvey hospital in Ashford can be achieved in an hour, with poor road networks across East Kent. This means that Thanet residents become the most poorly served across the county under the plan.

"I call upon the NHS in Kent and Medway to look again at this proposal, as the only satisfactory outcome is a 4 centre option which upgrades QEQM to include a hyper-acute stroke unit for Thanet.”

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QEQM Stroke services

'I will not descend into using the NHS as a weaponised political football'

Mr Mackinlay previously said ideally he wanted a hyper-acute stroke unit at QEQM, but decided to raise the issue in parliament because "I don't think we'll win".

Following claims from Save our NHS in Kent he and Sir Roger had not done enough to save the QEQM stroke unit, he responded: "I reject allegations by campaigning groups that I have not worked hard enough to protect QEQM’s stroke unit.

"I have attended numerous meetings, some private and not reported, with the Thanet CCG, county-wide meetings with other Kent MPs, and various events held by campaigners in Thanet and Canterbury.

Large crowds gathered outside QEQM Hospital in Margate to protest against proposed cuts to stroke services in February

"I have analysed all information sent to me by Kent and Medway NHS and the campaigners. I do not have Mayoral powers over this issue.

"I am not a stroke clinician and will not descend into using the NHS as a weaponised political football.

"I want the best outcome for my Thanet residents, and whilst I recognise the value of hyper-acute stroke units and am fully supportive of the concept which brings regional centres of excellence and improved results, I have made very clear my concerns as to geography and travel times throughout.”

A final decision on where to locate new hyper-acute stroke units will be made by January 2019.